DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Actor Gerard Butler said he is excited to be at Daytona International Speedway as grand marshal for Sunday’s Daytona 500 but added that his mother might be even more thrilled.

“The atmosphere here has blown me away,” Butler said Sunday morning. “I even have my mother and stepdad and my aunt and friends here. My mom came up and took my hand and said, ‘Gerard, this is so exciting!’ ”

Butler is scheduled to give the “Drivers, start your engines” command before the 500 green flag.

“I have something up my sleeve (for the command),” he said. “I think you might like it. Or not. We’ll see what happens where I get out there. I like to live in the moment.”

Butler is the star of the upcoming London Has Fallen movie.

Asked which NASCAR driver he might like to portray on film, Butler said, “The most emotionally powerful story would be Dale Earnhardt Jr. What an incredible story. What an incredible family.”